Kampong Chhnang man held for murdering his wife

A Kampong Chhnang man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly murdering his wife, marking the third domestic murder in almost as many days this week.

Kong Vuthy, chief of Peam Chhkork commune police, said Horn Nary, 20, went missing on Monday and was found dead about 400 metres from her home. Her throat was slit, allegedly with a kitchen knife.

Her husband, Chi Khem Dima, 20, was sent to the court yesterday. They were married in May last year and have a 6-month-old baby.

“We put the suspicion on the husband based on three things,” Vuthy said. “First, the girl never went away with anyone who she did not know well. Secondly, the place of the crime was not common – only her close relations went there. Thirdly, the husband did not actively participate in her funeral.”

Vuthy added the murder may have been motivated by jealousy or money problems. Peam Chhkork Commune Chief Ke Meth said he was unaware of any domestic violence issues as the couple had never sought out his help at the commune hall.

“But two days before the incident happened, I overhead villagers say the husband ran to his home in the neighbouring commune. He was angry with his wife for not following him to live in his family home,” Meth said.

According to the National Police website, another domestic murder occurred on Tuesday in Koh Kong province. Seng Vibol, 50, is suspected of murdering his wife Han Thoeun, 50, by shooting her twice in the chest with an AK-47. Police said she died instantly in their home and the suspected motivation for the killing was “jealousy”. Police have begun a manhunt for Vibol, who fled the scene.

Another tragic death took place on February 10 in Preah Sihanouk.

Kampong Seila Commune Police Chief Heng Touch said the suspect, Chea Nov, 52, stood accused of killing his wife, Sak Srey, 53, with a machete as they warmed themselves in front a fire on a cold morning. Touch said Nov appeared to have some kind of mental illness.

“He took her body to put it on the bed. He did not run and we arrested him,” Touch said.

The recent spate of domestic murders was “disappointing”, according to Gender and Development for Cambodia executive director Ros Sopheap. She urged the relevant authorities to mete out appropriate punishments for the crimes, and called on Cambodian men to value “the power of respect” over control in their relationships.

MOST VIEWED

Minister of Education Hang Chuon Naron on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Hun Sen requesting a delay of school reopening across the Kingdom until November, when the new academic year begins.
In his letter, Chuon Naron said the postponement is warranted to avoid the new

The Ministry of Interior’s General Department of Immigration (GDI) announced that it would not grant visa extensions to foreigners staying in Cambodia if their names are not listed on the Foreigners Present in Cambodia System (FPCS) by July 1.
Foreign nationals can register in the

The Covid-19 risk level for individual transmission is at an “alarming rate” in the Kingdom and its probability is “not low”, warned Health Ministry spokesperson Or Vandine.
“Cambodia’s coronavirus scenario is classified as being at an early stage of the pandemic because of ongoing

Some of the roughly 30,000 workers from factories and enterprises across the Kingdom who went on leave during Khmer New Year began their government-imposed 14-day quarantine on Monday.
Speaking at a press conference while visiting workers at the Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone on Monday, Ministry

The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has instructed enterprises, business owners and travel agencies in five provinces to prepare the proper forms for the suspension of employment contracts.
This, it said, will make it easier for the ministry to transfer $40 a month to workers

While the majority of Cambodians have paid heed to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s order to stay put and not travel during the Khmer New Year – the holidays of which were also postponed – several hundred have left Phnom Penh nonetheless.
They have allegedly breached provincial

Top oil producers struggled to finalise production cuts during a virtual summit held by Group of 20 (G20) energy ministers on Friday, despite US President Donald Trump’s mediation efforts to end a standoff with Mexico.
The final G20 communique appeared to gloss over simmering divisions

The government on Friday eased the district and provincial border restrictions issued on Thursday. People are now allowed to cross districts within their provinces.
Phnom Penh and Kandal province are to be treated as a single region where people are allowed to travel freely.
In

The Cambodian Higher Education Association has claimed that 113 private educational establishments are facing bankruptcy because of their inability to pay rent and staff salaries in light of nationwide school closures caused by the Covid-19 outbreak.
It said the financial trouble started when the Ministry of